[Australia] Coles Supermarket backs down on plastic bag ban
15 replies, posted
Coles will continue handing out plastic bags for free in its stores indefinitely, bowing to customer pressure and saying shoppers "need more time to make the transition to reusable bags".
Key points:
All Australian states and territories except NSW have either banned, or pledged to ban, single-use plastic bags
Coles will instead hand out thicker, reusable bags for free
The reusable bags are worse for the environment if they reach waterways and other habitats
Most state governments in Australia have banned thin single-use bags, and the supermarket giant pledged to phase them out from July 1.
Now, thicker reusable bags which had previously cost 15 cents each will be handed out for free.
That decision has annoyed environmental groups, who warned the reusable bags are worse for the environment if they are discarded into waterways and habitats.
In a statement today, the supermarket chain said complimentary bags were still an "interim measure" to help customers make the transition to reusable bags.
"Some customers told us they needed more time to make the transition to reusable bags," a Coles spokesperson said.
"We will continue to listen to our customers and our team members on an ongoing basis to assess when customers have become accustomed to bringing their own bags, and will provide them with as much notice as possible," the spokesperson said.
Coles backs down on plastic bag ban, will hand out thicker bags ..
Context: There’s a vocal minority of customers, mostly older people, who absolutely refuse to give up single-use bags and adopt reusable bags, despite reusable bags being better in every way (when used properly).
This is why I shop at Aldi.
cut the umbilical cord ffs
Ridiculous. I can admit I've been burned by going without a reusable bag or my backpack (Car not an option) but you only need to get burnt one to learn a lesson. It is a weak excuse that you don't like change.
Mum dropped a whopping $1.25 and secured 8 reusable bags to keep in the back of her car.
the bags that you could buy there are like 15 cents for fucks sake.
If you're already buying $15+ worth of shit it really doesn't make any difference at all
This is seriously not a problem.
Either buy the reusable fabric bags which are strong as FUCK, like holy shit I can't believe how much I can fit, and carry, or fuck pay 15 cents (which is fucking NOTHING) each time you go shopping.
the people complaining about going and running out of bags are probably spending $50+ on shopping in the first place so i have no idea at ALL why they're complaining about this when 15 *CENTS* is nothing compared to the money you're spending on your shopping
This is only a boomer/my first kid was at the age of 16 problem tbh
Fucking boomers. I've got multiple friends who work at supermarkets, and the reusable bags thing really opened the floodgates of abusive customers, every single shift they've done since the ruling has had multiple middle-aged customers yelling and screaming and throwing a fucking tantrum that they can't get their free bags anymore.
>buy reusable bag
>use it once
um
Well I kinda assumed that sometimes you might end up with more stuff, which doesn't fit into a single bag.
I know that sometimes when I think I have enough reusable bags, I end up having to buy another one.
Perhaps they should do the same with reusable bags as some do for glass bottles, as in take them back and reimburse. That way even if you forget your bag it's not an issue since you can bring it next time and get your money back. Limits waste, too.
Or just scrap this dumb shit all together and make bio-degradable bags, why not hemp? Or some other fabric. I'd happily pay a couple dollars for one of those re-usables, and they wont shit up the environment when they get thrown out or forgotten.
I visited Italy a few weeks ago and all the supermarkets had sturdy biodegradable bags, which were a couple cents each. I opted to just bring along my backpack for shopping trips since it was easier to carry my groceries across town on my back than in my hands. It's seriously not a hassle at all and taking along your own bags isn't a hard habit to get into.
... And aren't thrown out even close to as often? And can be recycled?
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